The present invention relates to a means of restraining the movement of a door.
A door can normally open and close freely. However, there are times when one does not wish a door to have this unrestrained movement. This may be to hold the door partially open, such as to let through a breeze, but not have the door slam shut. Also, one may wish to only partially open the door to see a visitor at the door. One may decide that one does not wish to open the door further, thus preventing the visitor from entering. This may even be in the face of an attempted forced entry through the door by the visitor. The present invention seeks to overcome at least some of the above mentioned problems.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a device for restraining movement of a door which includes:
a housing with means for affixing the housing to the door;
a foot pivotally mounted at least partially within the housing including a cog fixed to the foot, whereby the foot is arranged to rotate between a non-restraint position, where the foot is not in contact with the ground, and a restraint position, where the foot is in contact with the ground;
a pedal pivotally mounted at least partially within the housing, the pedal including a portion of a cog engaged with the cog of the foot;
the cog of the foot and the portion of the cog of the pedal forming a gear means, whereby pivoting of the pedal causes the foot to pivot between the non-restraint position and the restraint position,
wherein when the foot is in the restraint position, contact of the foot with the ground provides resistance to movement of the foot with respect to the ground, thus restraining movement of the door.